Advice on foals with mares/geldings, experiences please

claire1976

claire1976

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I am putting my mare in foal next summer and looking for advice please.
Would she be OK being the only one with a foal?
There will be my mare, a pony mare and either another mare or a gelding.
I would keep them seperate for first few months where they can see others but not be mixed.
I've heard that its not advised to just have one foal as they need others to play with?
Also heard that other mare's can steal foal and geldings can attack.
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My mare has had 2 foals with previous owner before, but this is my first time and want to make sure I'm doing the right thing.
Any stories/advice would be appreciated.
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We had no problem running our mares with foal (even just the one foal at a time only once did we have 2 mares foal in same year with a couple of months between them) in a herd of 25 equal mix of mares & geldings, they never got stolen or hurt & I personally think it is best for a foal to grow up ina herd as they learn manners & respect. If you have any concerns check out Lucinda Mcalpines website just google her name.
 
Clare, studs only put mares and foals out together, otherwise they are kept on their own.

I would not advise chancing it with the others
 
I've never had a problem with this. What I find is that usually it is the gelding who becomes a kid again and is the one who is more than happy to play with the youngster.
 
It is preferable to have at least one other foal to play with. Also don't see the mixed herd being a big issue, but I would never ever ever turn a foal out with a SHOD horse.
 
[ QUOTE ]
but I would never ever ever turn a foal out with a SHOD horse.

[/ QUOTE ]

Took the words right out of my mouth!
 
I kept my mare and foal separate from my gelding for 5 months with an electric fence until he could bear it no longer and jumped in with them. He galloped round like an idiot for half an hour whilst mum and son looked on then they all settled down but I did separate them again and afterwards the gelding just jumped in when he felt lonely.
 
I keep my foal with another mare who is 14 and my 9 year old shetland pony gelding. They all get along great, the other day my friend saw my shetland pony with his head between my foals back legs trying to get her to go down the end of the field!!! They have only been together for a couple of weeks. Was really worried about how she would get on as she moved straight from mum to these horses she didnt know, and it's like they have been together all there lives!!
 
Thanks for your advice guys. Think I will seperate mare and foal from others initially with electric fence. Of course I would remove shoes from any horses turned out with foal just in case. I know it would be preferable to have more than 1 foal to play with but its not possible, hopefully the others will tolerate some playtime and also teach manners to youngster.
Am sure that the pony will love having something nearer to her size for a bit - she does tend to get sidelined by my mare so I know she won't be the jealous type.
 
Ours were all shod from shetlands up to a 18hh Clysdale x TB
& we never had a problem they never got injured in any way. Also it helps with weaning at a later date as they have already formed friendships with the other horses & usually weanded themselves!
 
I have always run a mixed herd both in sexes and sizes. The geldings have never been a problem. I would rather 2 foals together but it can work very well with just one. The funniest sight had to be the small dartmoor filly who used to shelter underneath the belly of my ID 2 yr gelding when it rained. The pair of them were very good friends.
 
One thing to be very careful of is that foal's are born with a worm burden and this can be spread through the rest of the herd. On top of this there are many 'diseases' that older horses are immune to but that they can pass on to youngstock. This is the main reason that studs do not run their foals out with non breeding adult stock. Things like the respiratory version if EHV can live dormant in adult horses but is easily passed on to foals who will then have more severe reaction to respiraotory infections than older horses as they have got no natural immunity as yet.
Not saying that this will definately happen, just that it is a possibility. Just make sure you read up on all the pros and cons before you go ahead.
Also completely agree with the no shoes advice....have seen a very nice welsh youngster have his showing career ruined when playing with an older shod horse. Got kicked in the front of leg and severed the tendons. Is ok but not showable anymore and have to be careful about jumping.
 
We put the mare & foal in with the others (2 mares 2 geldings) when the colt was about 2mths old. Before that they had contact over the fence. Everything has been fine, & it is hoped that because he gets on so well with the others it will make weaning easier. I shall do the same when Mo has her foal in June, they will be in the next paddock & when the foal is older & stronger they will be allowed access to the others. But it will depend on how Mo is as Sas is much more laid back, so much so she foaled at 4pm with the other 2 mares in the same paddock!!
 
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